Talk:Nambudiri
By Swami Harshananda
nambudiri
This is the name of a dominant caste in the Kerala State.
The nambudiris are orthodox brāh-maṇas, well-versed in the Vedic and the tāntrik lore. They were the chief landowners before independence.
They followed a distinctive marriage alliance (called ‘sambandham’) with the nāyars who are kṣattriyas and have adopted the matrilineal descent system.
The eldest son of a nambudiri married a nambudiri girl whereas the younger sons had a loose type of marriage (‘sambandham’) for the sake of progeny, with nāyar girls. However, neither party to a sambandham union becomes a member of the other’s family. Consequently there is no legal responsibility or obligation on the part of the ‘husband’ towards the ‘wife’ or the children. The children belong to the ‘tarwad’ (joint family) descended from a common ancestress.
There are four subcastes among the nambudiris, the ‘nambudiripād’ being considered the highest.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore